![]() ![]() Why does this wonderful software not give one clues as to what is wrong when something does not work? It would have been a no-brainer for a popup to say something like "File not saved. He figured out that I needed to open the KiCAD as administrator. ARRGGHH!Īgain the local IT guru stepson to the rescue. No clues, no tips, no warnings, the only indication that the file was not saved was a peek into that folder that showed the file was still dated 20Nov2013. Then I could not save the reworked schematic. With help from the local home IT guru (my stepson) we figured out that the files had to first be loaded into the Programs. Today is a Texas Work-at-Home Ice Day, and to start I could not even get my saved files to work. A couple weeks ago I started to learn KiCAD, then after 2 days got sidetracked into a "more important" project, so saved all the files to my thumb drive to learn later. Between the both of us we got things done. I inspected the layout files and asked for minor changes if needed. I spec'd the trace and dielectric dimensions for impedance control, the PCB layout guru did the work. Last time I did a PCB layout was with blue and red tape on mylar, ever since there has always been a CAD expert that I could sit down with to do the layout. These are just some small things, but they would smooth the interface.Ĭurrently struggling with learning KiCad. I also would like to see the file management options of “Import” and “Export” be contained under the “Open” and “Save As” menus. One thing that is noticeably missing is the native ability to save your schematics to a PDF file (in order to achieve this currently, you would have to install a “Print to PDF” application). Once the schematic is created, it allows for all the parts and their connections to be pushed to the PCB Layout tool.ĭespite all these great features, there are some small items that would be nice improvements. Multi-sheet schematics are also supported. There is also the ability to import and export schematics in various file formats, though I did not have a chance to evaluate this feature. The Schematic Capture tool supports such things as hierarchical blocks, busses, and net ports. If you do get stuck, there is a set of both video tutorials as well as a 221-page PDF tutorial that gives an overview of the program. The Schematic Capture tool is relatively intuitive, allowing a first-time user to leap in without any real need to go through tutorials. Let’s see how it meets my outlined criteria…Īssuming all the parts you need are in the standard component library (rather extensive at 100,000+ parts), you can jump right into designing your circuit in the schematic capture tool. I have implemented a handful of projects using the DipTrace design package. This limits me to 300 pins and two signal layers. This free version can be extended under the “non-profit lite license” to 500 pins, though still limited to only two layers (paid versions support more layers).įor the purposes of this review I have chosen to evaluate the basic, free version of the program. ![]() When using the free offering, you are limited to 300 pins and two layers. Multi-layer capable (at least 2 layers)ĭipTrace has a free offering for non-commercial use as well as several levels of paid versions intended for commercial purposes.As mentioned in my earlier post, there were six features that I consider to be necessities as follows: This is the first installment of that effort - a review of DipTrace by Novarm. I also promised to share my experiences with each program as I used it. In my previous blog, A Guide to Low Cost PCB Tools, I listed a handful of free to low-cost PCB tool options along with a set of criteria of things that I felt were necessary to have a usable PCB tool that meets my needs. ![]()
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